It is funny how many smart people misjudged what was going on in Helsinki. Many on the right were demanding that Trump call the President of a major rival country a liar in an open press conference. Those on the left claimed that he sold out the country and is a traitor. Only a few understood what Trump was after. The people who really understood were his top staff and others who have done high level negotiations where an equally fair deal is struck.
If Trump was to call President Putin a liar in an open press conference, what would happen to any chance of a relationship that might be able to work towards solving some of the big problems in the world? No chance of establishing any relationship.
Some called on Trump to demand the freedom of some religious people that Russia deems unsuitable for their society. How would we feel if a country started telling us how to handle our internal affairs by demanding we free prisoners which have violated our legal system? Not a good way to start a relationship that just might solve any of the world’s biggest problems, but a sure way end to any worthwhile dialog.
How about saying that Putin strongly denied tampering with our elections, yet Trump saying he has confidence in our intelligence agencies. All parties know what happened and they know the other party knows, you let them know in private and let it slide in public, trying to humiliate someone and make them look bad doesn’t lead to a productive relationship, it does not lead to any relationship.
Anyone who has ever done high levels of negotiation’s, knows that you establish rapport and that is not done by calling someone a liar. It is done by finding common ground and building on that, not by accusations and attack statements. First a trust must be established and that is not done by embarrassing the other party in public.
Attack dogs don’t solve problems by working together but by force and that means war. Good negotiators find something, however small to build upon. They don’t attack but try to find and then build on some mutual interests. Russia is not going to give up Crimea or parts of Ukraine just by our asking and demanding. That is so stupid that you get nothing except the phone hung up, that is if a call is even answered.
This is the first President in my life time who is working for America and not to help someone else. To those doubters I ask but one question; if your life was on the line (And thousands of American young people’s lives are on the line) who would you want to do the negotiations? Hillary or Trump?
*Disclaimer: The opinions of the columnist/editorial writer are their own and do not reflect the opinions of the Mesquite Local News
Thank you!!
I fully agree with your article
You’re as sick as Trump. Who is controlling your puppet strings? Even republicans are upset with what happened in Helsinki so how can you defend what Trump did? When Putin invades us then I want to hear that you agree with what Trump did. Oh by the way I would go with Hillary all of the time. She was the true winner in the election and everyone knows it now.
L.O.L.
Yeah Mike, I ‘d rather have tRump call PUTIN a liar than call the entirety of the US intelligence services Liars. Putin OWNS tRump and tRump is a pitiful excuse for a leader of the USA.
Obviously you never had to negotiate with someone who was your adversary. Do you want a fight or some kind of negotiated settlement to some of the worlds issues? If Trump calls Putin a liar we are in for another 61/2 years 0r more of conflict. Trump has given up nothing but words and it’s actions that count. How can he be helping Russia when he builds up our military, asks NATO members to contribute more of their recourses to counter Russia and brings in John Bolton a big anti-Russian advisor all to increase our security?
If Hillary won we better tell the whole government as they think they work for him. Picking Hillary to negotiate your future because you think she a winner shows a point of view with no compromise, good luck. Oh, did you hear that in the Senate hearings they disclosed that almost all her e-mails had been forwarded to a e-mail address outside of the country (not one of our friends) and she also paid foreign agents to fabricate dirt on Trump?
You can’t negotiate with a terrorist!
Is that a joke? Can you really believe that the Helsinki show of groveling before his blackmailer was a clever way of protecting America? He is clearly under Russian control and now, tonight, we find out that even his major federal appointments i.e Sec of State, were guided or dictated by the Russians. And you ending question is real. Our lives of many of our troops are on the line every day and every day your president increases that danger.
Hillary (or Bernie, or John Kasich, or Marco Rubio, or Jeb Bush). Trump betrayed his own country on live television in front of the world and you praise him as the great negotiater. Young American lives have been lost as a result of Putin’s support of the Syrian and Iranian regimes. It is as though Trump could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot people and you would still defend his actions.
Why do we care about hurting Putin’s feelings? I understand that Trump was given conclusive evidence back in January, 2017 that Putin ordered the hacking of the DNC. Yet Trump has never backed our own intelligence agencies. Your claim that Trump is working for the US is laughable. Trump only works for his own self interests. The Russians must have a boatload of damaging information on Trump and his businesses.
Interesting to say the least. I feel like the person who wrote the article Hillary and the Democrats are or have undermined our country. He is trying to get it back.
Great piece Mike. Too bad small minds do not understand that Trump is probably the greatest negotiator that ever lived and that he has been in this position 1000 times before in his business dealings. You establish common grounds and lines of communication. Any good business person know that. Politicians do not because they always have their hands in everybody’s pockets. He did the right and smart thing. He endangered no lives, but quite possibly saved some.